Encounter with the Black Pearl
by Suzy-L
Summary: At the beginning of the movie, when they find Will Turner, we see the Black Pearl sailing into the distance. But what really happened to the merchant ship before it was attacked? PG for scenes of violence


HTML Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or Will Turner and I definitely don't own Jack Sparrow (but lets face it; everyone wishes they did). Don't sue, I'm just a poor, penniless thirteen year old girl who is only still alive because of her love of writing.  
  
Authors note: This is my first PotC fic, but hopefully you will like it as it's a little different to most of the fics I've seen being written. This is just a one shot about what happened to the young Will Turner before he was found in the water at the beginning of the movie. I might extend this by writing about before these events happened, but that depends if you like this! R&R please!  
  
Encounter with the Black Pearl  
  
Will studied the medallion. He couldn't wait to meet his father at last. Judging by the expression on everyone's faces, they were not far from their destination; Port Royal, the British town on the coast of Jamaica. It had been a difficult journey. They had passed through several storms on the way and of course there was always the threat of pirates.  
  
A thick fog began to surround the ship, making it impossible for Will to search for signs of land. The fog constantly thickened as they sailed on, the ship tearing through the almost calm waves. The crew began to whisper nervously.  
  
"This mist is unnatural!"  
  
"Not right to sail this quickly through the sea, it ain't!"  
  
"Do yer think the legends are true?"  
  
Will approached Robert, one of the sailors who he often spoke to.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
Robert glanced around to check no one was listening, before turning back to Will.  
  
"They say there's a pirate ship which has a thick, unnatural fog surrounding it wherever it goes. The sails are black and torn to shreds, yet it is the fastest ship in the Caribbean! The captain is evil and its crew eviler still!"  
  
Robert lowered his voice. "Of course, the Capt'n don't believe in it, but I reckon he suspects same as me right now; the Black Pearl is following us."  
  
Will was unnerved by Robert's tale, but he refused to let it show.  
  
"What would happen if it caught us?" He asked bravely.  
  
"Lad...I don't think you're old enough to hear the answer to that question." Robert replied before returning to his work.  
  
The fog was still thickening and Will feared it would soon suffocate him. He went below deck to the galley, to see what the kitchen crew thought of the situation.  
  
A few minutes later, chaos broke out on the deck.  
  
"Black sails ahead! Black sails ahead! PIRATES!"  
  
Immediately, everyone above and below deck panicked and hurried around. Some of them were shouting hysterically, "The Black Pearl! She's come to take us to Hell at last!", while others stood still, not sure whether to believe the legends or not. No one knew what to do, and they all waited for orders from the captain.  
  
"We must turn the ship! We stand no chance in battle!" The captain finally decided.  
  
Robert laughed audibly at this, causing everyone to stop and stare.  
  
"Turn? Do you realise which ship that is? That is no ordinary pirate ship! Nay, it's the Black Pearl, the ship of legends, the fastest ship in the ocean! We can't simply turn the ship!"  
  
"What do you propose we do, then?" The captain growled, glaring at the young sailor.  
  
"There's not much we can do. We stand no chance. We are lost to Davy Jones' locker before a cannon has fired! I propose we make a stand and with a sword and pistol in our hands. Then we will at least die with dignity!" Robert spoke confidently, despite talking about his own horrific doom.  
  
Will was now terrified. Being lost to Davy Jones' locker was not part of his plan to meet his father.  
  
The crew were now arguing with each other about what to do. None of them liked Robert's prediction and they refused to accept that what he spoke of was the truth. Will couldn't accept it either. Before he knew what he was doing, he had thrown himself overboard. He decided he would much rather drown than be savagely torn about by a cruel, heartless pirate. Everyone was so busy fighting and panicking that they didn't hear the loud splash as the boy hit the water.  
  
The Pearl was closer now. Struggling to stay afloat, Will watched in horror as the first cannonball went hurtling towards the ship. He cringed at the sound of wood snapping under the force of the attack and shivered at the slapping noise it made as it hit the water. Will grabbed hold of one of the broken planks and propelled himself through the water, trying to keep close to the ship but not close enough to be hit by the falling pieces of timber.  
  
Cannonball after cannonball hit the ship and not many were fired back at the Pearl. Will watched as more of his ship was destroyed, until the captain and crew finally surrendered. The pirates went aboard and looted the ship for everything they could find. They brought out gold, silver, coal, expensive clothes and beautiful ornaments, even wooden pieces of furniture which were selling well to the upper class British inhabitants of the Caribbean.  
  
The pirates returned to the Black Pearl and for a few minutes, there was silence. Then, Will realised what was happening.  
  
They're blowing the ship up!  
  
He turned and swam for his life, pulling himself through the water with all his strength, ignoring the stinging salt as it got in his eyes and forgetting how the water was ice cold. All he felt was the red hot blood pumping through his body as he swam and swam...  
  
Finally, the ear-shattering explosion came. Will felt a rush of emotion at the thought of how some of his friends were killed in such a horrific way and he slowly turned to face the wreck. As he turned, however, a huge piece of wood went flying through the air and knocked him unconscious, and the last thought in his head was, "So the Black Pearl does exist..." 


End file.
